Ronnie O'Sullivan, John Higgins and snooker have called for a change in the master's eligibility calculations.
文/Phil Haigh，《Metro》
The Masters draw has traditionally been scheduled for intermission in the first phase of the British Championship finals, and live streaming by the BBC can boost ticket revenue and ratings for the Masters. This season's Masters will take place at Alexander Palace from 9 to 16 January 2022.
Luca Bressell has been outstanding in three weeks, reaching the final at the British Championships and then beating Higgins at the Scottish Open to win his second ranking title. Before the British Championship, Bressel was still in the 32nd place, but with the accumulation of prize money, Bressel jumped to 15th in the total prize list, returning to the high ranking in one fell swoop.
The Masters, which will be held in January next year as an elite invitation tournament that only invites the world's top 16 players, although Breisel has already ranked 15th, regrettably failed to get tickets because he missed the prize money calculation node of the Masters.
Since the Scottish Open and this week's World Grand Prix are both ranking tournaments between the British Championship and the Masters, it is quite inappropriate to determine the prize money calculation node of the Masters too early. On that issue, Higgins said in an interview with Eurosport after the Scottish Open final: "It is very inappropriate for the Masters to be without Luca.
He is the winner of the Scottish Open, the runner-up of the British Championship, and with his current style of play and state, the Grand Prix title is also at his fingertips, but he is not eligible for the Masters. ”
"Some of the rules had to be changed, and Luca was supposed to be present at Alexandria Palace as an important player. It's a huge mockery of the rules, but hopefully it won't happen again. ”
Ronnie O'Sullivan suggested that a place be set aside in the Masters draw, and if there is a situation like Bressell's, there is a chance to qualify.
O'Sullivan said at the Eurosport Studios: "I think Luca's performance in the last two competitions is worth a Masters ticket. I think maybe it's okay that they should leave a pending quota and see who has a particularly good performance at the end of the year and doesn't qualify for the Masters. Or whose participation is more beneficial to the Masters can also be awarded to whom, that's my opinion. ”
"The rules are the established formula, and everyone knows that the British Championship is the prize money calculation node. But I think Luca would get very frustrated not being able to bring his best form into a major event like the Masters. With his style of play, he will be the treasure player of this tournament. The audience in London will love him. It would be more appropriate if the WST could reserve a wild card for a player who performs well. ”
Neil Fultz, a European sports commentator and former world number three, also believes the rules need to change, arguing that the promotion of the Masters by drawing lots during the British Championship final should not have a potentially adverse effect on the players.
Fultz tweeted: "John Higgins is right, the Masters' prize money is calculated too early. The British Championships will be followed by two ranking tournaments, followed by the main stage of the Masters, and Luca, as the current top 16, deserves this award. ”
"It's more important to get more suitable people to go to the Masters than to draw lots and warm up for the Masters during the Final of the British Championship (to the detriment of the players)."
However, there is one person who does not care so much about this controversy, and that is Bressell himself, who knows that he must win the British Championship to enter the Masters, so he has no opinion or complaint about missing the Masters qualification.
Asked if he was annoyed by missing the Masters, Bressel said: "No, not at all. I think Higgins was just trying to make it clear that the rules need to change, but I really didn't care that much. ”
"I would love to play in the Masters, but I knew before that if I didn't win the British Championship, then I wouldn't qualify for the Masters, so I easily accepted the result."